Not Just A Game

Chapter 4

All tributes are rushed into the Justice building, completely surrounded by peacekeepers.

We break apart, each tribute is being escorted into separate rooms.

The sad part is, I barely am aware of any of this.

I see but I don't really see.

The shock is settling, but the truth is setting in.

I will have to rely on Dustin, a total stranger, to keep us both alive.

I'm brought into a small room with a red love seat and brown walls.

A peace keeper peeks in the door.

"You have fifteen minutes." he says.

My father and Belle hurry in.

Tears well up in my eyes. Unlike the reaping, I let them stream down my face this time.

Dad immediately wraps his arms around me and I welcome the embrace, knowing it may be the last time I see him.

I feel his body shake and realize he's crying. I shudder because it reminds me of when my mother past. I bet he is remembering too.

He pulls away, still holding my shoulders. He looks me directly in the eyes and says,

"Ivy, I believe in you, you're a strong young woman. You'll come back, and I know it. I love you, and I know Willow and your mother are looking down at you right now, and they would be so proud of you. "

He pulls me into a warm embrace once more that I haven't felt since I was a child.

His breaths steady and his shaking has ceased. He pulls his face close to my ear and whispers so quietly nobody but me can hear him,

"Be brave. Don't let them change you."

And with that, he silently leaves the room.

Across the room, Belle is standing looking at me with wide tear filled eyes. I rush toward her and hug her, trying to comfort her. I feel tears drip on to my shoulder.

I hold her head in my hands and look her directly in the eyes.

"Hey, it's okay. It's okay.

She pulls back, her face wet with tears. It's hard to watch Belle cry, knowing how strong she has become. She's lost almost everybody. Our mother, and Willow. But now she has to deal with losing me too. Even Griffin.

She's broken beyond repair.

" I love you, Ivy. You have to survive. Please... I need you. I need you to survive. Promise me, promise me please, that you'll come back."

She talks through quiet sobs.

How can I promise her that I'll come back when I have forty four other people out to kill me? But I'll crush her if I refuse.

A peacekeeper walks in the room and says,

" It's time to go."

Belle looks at me pleading, " Ivy, promise me you'll come back, please."

The peacekeeper, pulls her out of the room and I whisper,

"I promise."

Belle looks at me and acknowledges what I say.

The door shuts behind her and I feel my face sticky with tears. I didn't even realize I had started crying.

I have no more visitors.

I spend the next few moments getting myself together before I'm escorted to the air train and shuttled off to the booming Capitol.

I dry my tears off with the tissues supplied on the glass coffee table.

How convenient.

I peek outside the door and ask the peacekeeper to use a restroom. I walk down a long empty hallway, past pictures of district twelve victors and the games that they won.

There are only four pictures.

I catch a glimpse of Haymitch Abernathy, who won the 50th hunger games. I've seen videos of that one. It was similar to this toward quarter quell, twice the tributes were reaped. Haymitch is nearing seventy now, too old to be a mentor.

I also see Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark, who won the 74th games as a pair, and the 75th games as well. They started off the amendment to the rules that multiple tributes can win if from the same district.

That particular year, the quarter quell reaped only former victors. Unfortunately, Katniss was the only female victor, hence forced to be in the games again, where Peeta, being in love with her, volunteered for Haymitch.

They won those games together also.

I then walk past the final picture of

Dakota Ross. She won the 90th games when she climbed a tree above her opponent tributes campout. When bear mutts charged after the other tributes, she shot him with an arrow and ended the games .

I was five when these games occurred. I only briefly remember it. I mostly hear about it when kids discuss it at school, or when the Capitol distributes new textbooks each year adding new info about that particular years Hunger Games.

Dakota Ross will be everyone's mentor since Katniss and Peeta refused the job.

When I reach the bathroom, I wash my face, savoring the feeling of the cool water up against my skin. I cup my hands under the sink and drink the water, taking advantage of the endless supply.

In district twelve, an abundance of water sources is not a luxury we have.

I blow my nose with the soft tissues and make a poor attempt at fixing my hair with the mirror.

When I return back to my room, the plush carpet squishing beneath my feet, a peacekeeper is ready at the door to bring me to my train.

AUTHORS NOTE

HEY YALL! HOPE YOU LIKE THIS NEW CHAPTER. SORRY IT WAS SHORT BUT HONESTLY ITS LIKE, MIDNIGHT HERE AND I WANTED TO UPDATE FAST. COMMENT IF YOU HAVE A NAME FOR A TRIBUTE. ALL SUGGESTIONS WILL BE USED. PLEASE COMMENT ABOUT THE STORY I BEG YOU.

LOVE ALL MY READERS

XOXO

IRONABBS